Yamamura Animation, Inc.

©️Yamamura Animation/Tokyo University of the Arts

The Spring Sea

Directed and Animated by Yamamura Koji
Music: HARU NO UMI (The Spring Sea), Composer: Miyagi Michio
Violin: Sawa Kazuki, Koto: Ando Masateru
Music Provided by Japan Traditional Cultures Foundation
"MIYAGI Michio, as performed by ANDO Masateru Vol.5"
Re-recording: AOI STUDIO Co., Ltd. Miyoshi Sae
Supported by Tokyo University of the Arts, ART DX Project, Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate school of Film and New Media
Producer: Okamoto Mitsuko
Productions: Yamamura Animation, Tokyo University of the Arts

Cinema Concert version
Directed and Animated by Yamamura Koji
Music: HARU NO UMI (THE SPRING SEA), Composer: Miyagi Michio
AI-based Animation Synchronization with Live Music Performance by Kiriyama Takashi (Tokyo University of the Arts), Usuha Ryoya (Tokyo University of the Arts), Tamura Motoichi (YAMAHA Corporation), Maezawa Akira (YAMAHA Corporation), Nishiyama Rei (YAMAHA Corporation)
Supported by Tokyo University of the Arts, ART DX Project, Tokyo University of the Arts,Graduate school of Film and New Media
Producer: Okamoto Mitsuko
Productions: Yamamura Animation, Tokyo University of the Art

A scene inspired by the Seto Inland Sea is depicted in the style of a sumi-e painting, set to a violin version of the koto piece "HARU NO UMI (The Spring Sea)" by Japanese koto player and composer Miyagi Michio in 1929.

Review
...This graphic and musical ensemble carries us into a gentle movement filled with simplicity, inviting us to savor the present moment at the water's surface. Animation cinema and its master Kōji Yamamura transcend these arts through movement....
| 136 - Annecy 2026 : Blinkity Kōji | by Clément Martin | GENEVIÈVE ET ANDRÉ MARTIN : DES COMMUNICATIONS ANIMÉES | 2026.09.29 | France |

Awards (2)
★avancaGIGANTES AWARD: 30th Avanca Film Festival, Portugal, 2026.07-08
★GBAKA National　JAPON　3e prix: 6th Festival International Gbaka Animation, Togo, Africa, 2026.10

Official Selection (24)
65th Annecy International Animation Film Festival, France, 2026.06
14th Insomnia Insomnia International Open-Air Animation Film Festival, Russian, 2026.07
18th International Short Film Festival PSAROKOKALO, Greek, 2026.07
17th Anibar Animation Festival, Kosovo, 2026.07
30th Avanca Film Festival, Portugal, 2026.07-08
12th Animaphix New Contemporary Languages Film Festival, Italy, 2026.08
25th edition of Countryside Animafest Cyprus, Cyprus, 2026.08
Imaginaria – 24th International Animated Film Festival, Italy, 2026.08
22nd World Festival of Animated Film Varna, Bulgaria, 2026.09
10th Chaniartoon 2026- International Comic & Animation FestivalChania, Greece, 2026.09-10
21st Animatou Festival, Geneva, Switzerland, 2026.10
6th Festival International Gbaka Animation, Togo, Africa, 2026.10
14th Primanima World Festival of First Animations, Hungary, 2026.10
5th Pianeta Mare Film Festival, Italy, 2026.10
28th Bucheon International Animation Festival, Korea, 2026.10
6th CRAFT International Animation Festival 2026, Indonesia, 2026.10
33rd International Film Festival Etiuda&Anima 2026, Poland, 2026.10
20th Big Cartoon Festival, Russia, 2026.10-11
8th Open World Animation Festival, The Roxy Theatre, US, 2026.11
18th ReAnimania International Animation Film & Comics Art Festival of Yerevan, Armenia, 2026.11
8th Feinaki Beijing Animation Week, China, 2026.11
19th Piccolo Festival of Animation, Italy, 2026.11
23rd Tindirindis International Animation Film Festival, Vilnius, Lithuania, 2026.11
6th T-Short Animated Film On/Off Festival, Germany, 2026.11-12

Screenings (12)
3rd West Lark International Animation Festival: Digging Japan, China Academy of Fine Arts, China, Hangzhou, 2025.10.24 ★Opening film
All About Koji Yamamura: A is for Animation, Theater Shinjuku, Japan, 2025.12.05-18
Reprise Annecy 2026 : Sélection japonaise, 101 bis, quai Jacques Chirac, Paris, France, 2026.07.01
23rd Asian Summer Film Festival, Spain, 2026.07.14-19
Bronx World Film Cycle, Summer ’26, N.Y., U.S., Ferry Point Park: 2026.08.27 / Williamsbridge Oval:2 026.08.28 / Loreto Playground: 2026.09.05 / Ambrosini Field: 2026.09.06 »Site
CAMERA JAPAN Festival, Holland, Rotterdam, 2026.09.23-27, Amsterdam, 2026.10
CINETORO Experimental Film Festival, Clombia, 2026.11.10-15
CULMEA Festival, Brasov, Romania, 2026.10.22-24 »Site
1st Jiyugaoka Film Festival, Japan, 2026.11.15
48th Festival des 3 Continents, “First Steps Toward the 3 Continents”, Nantes, France, 2026.11.20-28
23rd International Animation Film Festival Animateka, Best of the World program, Slovenia, 2026.11.30-12.06
1st Puyan Student Animation Festival, Fine Arts College of the University of Tehran, Iran, 202611.28-12.12

Cinema Concerts (7)

Nippon Steel Arts Foundation, Wakayama Performance, ”Kioi Afternoon Concert,”
Violin: Sawa Kazuki, Koto: Kikue Gensei
Wakayama Castle Hall, Japan, 2025.10.25, Premiere

Fenice Sakai x Nippon Steel Kioi Hall: Resonating Japanese and Western Culture: Japan Classic
Violin: Sawa Kazuki, Koto: Kikue Gensei
Sakai City Arts and Culture Hall, 2025.10.26

Kumamoto Japanese Music Festival Executive Committee x Nippon Steel Kioi Hall
Japanese Music New Artists Exhibition Meets Kioi Afternoon Concert
Violin: Fuminori Shinozaki, Koto: Hikaru Nakajima
Kumamoto, Sears Home Yume Hall, 2026.02.07 »Site

"Resonating Concert" ~Eastern and Western Traditions Resonate Through Music~ Kitakyushu Municipal Hibiki Hall x Nippon Steel Kioi Hall
Violin: Shinozaki Fuminori, Koto: Shikano Tatsuyasu
Kitakyushu Municipal Hibiki Hall, 2026.02.08 »Site

"The Spring Sea" Live Performance, Animation, and AI Concert
2026.03.19, 13:30-14:00 / 16:00-16:30, 2026.03.20, 11:30-12:00 / 13:30-14:00 / 15:30-16:00
Tokyo University of the Arts, Ueno Campus, Art & Science Lab 4F
Koto: Kokoro Katayama (1st year, Department of Traditional Japanese Music, Faculty of Music), Reiko Takahashi (1st year, Department of Traditional Japanese Music, Faculty of Music)
Shakuhachi: Mayuka Higuchi (1st year, Department of Traditional Japanese Music, Faculty of Music), Violin: Haruka Yamamoto (1st year, Department of Instrumental Music, Faculty of Music) »Site

"The Spring Sea"cinema consert, Satie's "Parade," "Notes on Monstropedia"
Nippon Connection 2026 26th Japan Film Festival
Violin: Tony CLARK, Koto: Naoko KIKUCHI
Germany, 2026.06.02-07 »Site

"The Spring Sea" Opening film
Opening Ceremony with the Live Screening of The Spring Sea
Violin: Maya Kai, Koto: Tomoko Kihara
3rd Hiroshima Animation Season 2026, Japan, 2026.08.19 »Site